30 July 2010

fabulous french chateau





Welcome to the stunning Chateau de la Verrerie~ If you are anything like me, you immediately see fairy tales when you see it. They refer to it as a "bed and breakfast". Really? Because I have been to bed and breakfasts and they certainly didn't look like this...

{just to be clear, I could *so* live here...}




The grounds are beautifully manicured but just wild enough to be romantic and comfortable.






I absolutely adore the vegetable gardens and can imagine spending my days with a basket and trowel, (and of course my big sunhat) tending to these gardens~






The interior is just as beautiful and comfortable as the exterior. It is warm, welcoming, and well-decorated.











The rooms are simply luxurious! The blue room is my favorite - could you just melt away in that bathtub?!?










The beauty of Chateau de la Verrerie is that it is only a few hours outside of Paris - I think the next time handsome husband and I are in France, we need to take the train out and stay for a few nights... Granted, I would never want to leave. Maybe I need to have a bed and breakfast in the French countryside...





Have a lovely weekend mes amies!
xx


29 July 2010

fabulous friend-filled weekend!


Hi there!

I apologize for being MIA lately, but there are all sorts of fabulous and exciting things happening here on the farm! I am also getting ready to hang out with this fabulous girl~





We are going to stay with her, and to see them, and her, and her, and her, and them, and a bunch more fabulous friends here. I will also be eating anything and everything I can from her. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!!!

I promise to be back next week with photos and updates!

Have a marvelous weekend mes amies~
xx


25 July 2010

guest post on lola b!






today I am hanging out with my world-traveling bestie - come on over and visit me here!
have a fabulous Sunday,
xx


23 July 2010

friday visitor






We had a visitor in the barn today - no one new, as she has visited before. We did realize today, however, that she most likely has babies somewhere close by. She didn't bring them along, but she is clearly nursing.

Ah, life on the farm~








bon weekend!






Happy Friday mes amies~







As I don't have a lot on the agenda ce weekend, I am really looking forward to relaxing and enjoy our beautiful little farm as it is supposed to be tres belle with beaucoup de sunshine!






I hope you have a wonderful weekend, whatever you may be doing!
bisous
xx


21 July 2010

happy wednesday!





I hope you are all having a wonderful week~ We are going to spend our day outdoors as it looks to be a nice one. I do wish we had a gorgeous pool area on the farm to cool off on these warm days...

Bisous xx


photo found here



19 July 2010

Sale!







For the next two weeks I am offering a print sale in my Etsy shop!




If you buy one print, you may choose a second print for free! All prints are 5x7~ Simply place your order and then - THE IMPORTANT PART - in the message portion of your order - STATE THE NAME OF THE SECOND PRINT YOU WISH TO HAVE. If you don't do this - I can't send you a second print for free!!!





Head over and hopefully you will find something you love!





Happy Monday - have a fabulous week!
xx


18 July 2010

and they lived happily ever after...




and they lived happily ever after...









Yesterday, two of our favorite people shared beautiful vows and began their married life together. It was a really special day all around, and I wanted to share it with you.


Jennifer has been a part of our family for about ten years now. She came into our lives when she was younger than #1 is now - she babysat #s 1 & 2 when they were very young. She has always been incredibly reliable, level-headed, and incredibly loving to our boys. She was the first babysitter that #3 had and by the time he came along, she was a member of our crew.

In high school she had this cute boyfriend - a wrestler - and he was just as easy-going and darling as she was. He soon became a part of our lives and was easy to love. The two of them have always seemed like a comfortable married couple, thus it was never any surprise that they would one day have a wedding of their own. And lucky for us, we were a part of that amazing event yesterday.


Our day began early with a trip to the ferry terminal to catch a ferry. They were to be married on a beautiful and incredibly quaint island off the Washington coast in the San Juan Islands.





We had never been and I was really looking forward to the day trip with my husband and #4 - the only child we had this weekend.


There is something about the west coast ferries that remind me of my childhood. We spent summers traveling from the midwest to Vancouver, BC and then taking the ferry to see my grandparents on a small island in the Canadian Gulf Islands. Those trips are my most treasured childhood memories - days spent on the beach playing on the driftwood, climbing boulders out to the point, finding starfish and other interesting sea treasures that we certainly didn't have in the midwest. The smell of arbutus, evergreen, and the salty air will forever bring back those memories for me.




This was #4s first real trip on a ferry and he loved it! He ran around the deck, spotting seagulls and sailboats, covering his ears when the horn blew. It was nice to be able to really enjoy the trip with him as we could really focus on the things a four year old would like. We ate junk food - too much junk food - but it was fun.



When the boat docked we had a few hours to meander around the island exploring before we had to be at the winery for the ceremony. We drove to what little village there was, poked around the Saturday market, and then headed to the little bakery and coffee shop to find another treat or two...









{how cute is this guesthouse???}




We also took the time to let #4 run around a bit. We even found two HUGE frogs!





In the late afternoon we found our way to the winery and spent some time visiting with people we hadn't seen for some time, as well as Jennifer's family whom we have known for nearly as long as we have known Jen. It was an incredibly casual atmosphere - a garden party - so perfectly Jen and Paul.






The winery was absolutely beautiful - set in the countryside, surrounded by row after row of grape vines, flower gardens, a beautiful fire pit area, as well as arbors and a few lovely buildings.






It was a gorgeous sunny day with a light breeze and just the right temperature. There was a wine bar with wines from the winery set up next to the vines where the grapes for the white wines were grown. Truly magical.





We were able to visit with the beautiful bride and handsome groom - they were so trendy and cute!

{the man hug}


{notice little man playing with the iPhone behind my chair...}



{and again after the ceremony - that thing is a life saver!}

The ceremony itself was magical. It was relaxed, there was a lot of laughter, and the vows were so incredibly touching and heartfelt that I nearly had tears listening to them.







They were surrounded by so much love - people whom they had known forever, family, high school friends, loved ones. They were serenaded by a wonderful song after the ceremony - truly romantic and touching.









If ever two people were in love, it is Jen and Paul. We felt so incredibly honored that they would invite us to share in such a wonderful moment in their lives, and wish for them all of the love, happiness, laughter, and romance that life can bring. We love you!!!